Pure As Snow
by ForgottenStorm87
Summary: You think you know the story but you've never read it like this! A princess running from a wicked queen meets a band of ragtag misfit performers who vow to protect her. But as the danger grows and more is at stake there comes a time when the desire to do what's right is as Pure As Snow.
1. Pure As Snow: Prologue

[A.N.] Hello all! Thank you for checking out this story. It is my first actual attempt at an Alternate Universe fanfic and a fairytale at that! Please be patient with me as I try to work out the finer points of this writing style and be sure to tell me what you think. I've never done this before so I'm hoping with some feedback I can make it into the best it can be! Again, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this!

Pure As Snow: Prologue

He sat down at the bar of the tavern and inn and ordered a pint of ale. It was rare that they left their wagon to sleep in other lodgings but they'd done well in the last town and could afford the soft beds and hot food.

"I'll need two rooms for the night please."

The bartender eyed him suspiciously but he didn't really care. He handed over the appropriate amount of money which the bartender took before placing the glass of ale in front of him. He took a drink and continued to ignore the bartender's wary looks. He and his troupe were essentially just passing through. They were traveling performers, gypsies, and that made this sort of treatment usual. It was, however, illegal in this kingdom for any business to refuse to serve anyone who asked and had the money to pay.

He took a long drink and glanced around. The inn was a small establishment that seemed fairly old its mortar and wood becoming colored with age, damp from water spots and the beginnings of mold which would explain the musty smell. The only thing combatting the smell of age was the aroma of the stew and fresh bread cooking in the kitchen, a bounty he knew his troupe would soon be enjoying whole-heartedly.

He wasn't really hungry. His mind was on other things. Rumors had been spreading that the kingdom's newest misfortune had caused drastic changes throughout the land, changes he had been noticing more and more the further in they went. He had done things he wasn't proud of; things in the name of survival and self-preservation. He was their leader, responsible for the well-being of his entire group. As a result of the collective attitude towards their profession he always kept a weapon on him. It was his mission in life to keep them all safe and he'd be damned if he failed in doing so.

The sound of a soft melody being played on a lute sang through the drab atmosphere of the inn. A Quick glance told him there was a minstrel, a traveling bard in the corner of the room tuning his instrument and testing his voice. He hadn't noticed the man before but by the look of him he had indeed seen better days. He vaguely recognized the man, however as one who had been around for many years and used to perform in all the local courts, this kingdom's original king had once been especially fond of him but recently, no bards have been allowed in the court which was perhaps one of the reasons why he found himself on edge. Just as he was about to get up and check on his group the bard began to sing.

"I'll tell you a tale of a kingdom once great,

Now oppressed and unhappy, confined and restrained

By a queen who usurped all the power of the crown

And nothing was beneath her,

She'd sink father down.

The king and his queen,

Both young, good and kind,

Had a young son,

And so beamed with pride

But the queen in her youth wished for one more too,

A girl she could teach to be a princess true.

So they tried and succeeded

But then sadness grew

For the queen lost her life

To bring life anew

And the king in his grief

Joined her too soon.

So the prince and his sister were left in the care

Of the Prime Minister and his wife

Who always were there

When the children were happy or sad or alone,

The loving godparents made the castle a home.

But one day when the prince had become fully grown

And he took on the crown and sat on the throne

Then a strange woman came,

With great beauty and grace,

To the kingdom and changed up the pace

The young king made her queen

Then vanished without a trace.

Now the princess is mourning,

Sadness has no end,

And the queen domineering,

Is hardly a friend.

The Prime Minister, her family,

Is banished away.

There is no one to comfort her on this sad, sad day.

Oh what will become of the royal young lass?

If the queen has her way only evil will-"

Before the bard could finish his song a large guard walked up and grabbed him, hauling him to his feet.

"That will be enough of your blasphemous tale."

"There is no blasphemy in art, and that is what my music is."

"Art has been forbidden in this kingdom, especially music."

"That's ridiculous! Art cannot be forbidden! It will always have a home wherever someone wishes to create it!"

"If you don't clear out of here by morning the only home you and your music will have is the castle dungeon." The guard wasted no more time throwing the bard out the front door.

He finished off his ail and stood up, walking out to the street where the group was beginning to unpack their things to take them into the inn. He stood there and watched as Duo flirted with Hilde, something that was part of their normal routine. Catherine and Trowa were siblings that had once been a part of a traveling circus. They were orphaned when raiders attacked their troupe. They were busy taking care of the horses. Wufei and Sally were in some sort of disagreement which Quatre was trying to mediate. Wufei was from the Orient and Sally, whose mother had also been Oriental had been raised with him in the same village. Their home had always looked down on Sally and Wufei had become as much her protector as he was her tormentor. The two had left their village in search of a better life. Quatre's story was a bit of a puzzle. He was the only son of a lord that had tried to marry him off to benefit their family. The problem was that his wife to be was far too old for him. He had ran to try and find a fortune of his own but a different form of fortune saw him quickly placed in their motley crew. Each member of their group had a specific purpose, a special talent they contributed to the group whether it was for performance or for organizational purposes. Each member also had one thing in common: they were misfits with nowhere else to go a fact that unified them into the strong makeshift family they were. He ran a hand through his bangs as he prepared to give them the bad news. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Hey Heero, how's the inn look?" Duo pulled Hilde to him and she smacked off his advances.

"It's fine." Duo shifted, placing his hands behind his neck.

"Uh-oh. Boss man's got some bad news." At his words, all the other members walked forward and joined Duo and Hilde.

"Apparently this kingdom no longer welcomes the arts. We will stay tonight but we'll have to get going first thing in the morning if we want to hit the next town before the storm." He took in their looks of disappointment. This kingdom had always been one they could rest in and take time to enjoy life a little more. Now, with these new changes, exhaustion would be even harder to fight. No one in his group argued. They knew he was right.

"Eat your fill, rest as much as you need and tomorrow we will pick up the necessary supplies for our two week journey to the next kingdom." They nodded, disheartened, and went about preparing to stay. Heero sighed and stepped inside to tavern again. In a town now completely hostile to their kind he needed to stay alert. It was going to be another, long, sleepless night. He made sure everyone was settled, girls in one room, boys in the other as was appropriate, although Duo and Hilde had been known to sneak off together from time to time, a fact that, aside from the danger of them being away from the group, didn't truly bother him. Hours went by and after a good meal and planning out the safest, fastest route they all turned in for the night, all except for him.

He couldn't rest, not yet, not while they were in town. He walked down the stairs out into the commons area and looked around, his hand on his short sword. His group was a ragtag, mismatched bunch but they all worked perfectly together and got along as well as such a diverse group could. Needing some fresh air he walked out into the night, not wanting to stray too far from the inn in case he was needed there. It was a fairly warm, peaceful night although the breeze had a slight chill to it. The only sounds were that of the occasional bird, or a horse whinnying and a scream. A scream? Listening more carefully he heard the sounds of men in armor running rather quickly, quite possibly a few alleys away. Normally he wouldn't bother but something about that scream had raised his awareness and put him on edge.

He ran to the source of the noises and almost skidded to a stop. There stood six fully armed and armored soldiers, weapons drawn and glinting in the light of the moon, their raised torches shining light on the small figure they were pursuing. It was a young woman. All this trouble over one small woman. Two of them charged forward and tried to seize their small target but their quarry put up a good fight dodging one only to be caught by the other whose foot was promptly stepped on and who cried out as his hand had obviously been bitten. As Heero ran to close the gap between them he noticed two of the men now held the woman by the arms, roughly but before they could do much else he was on them. With the grace and poise possessed by few others he quickly took out the first four standing between him and the captured individual.

"This doesn't concern you boy. Be gone." The woman's face was still concealed beneath the hood of a cloak but he somehow saw her eyes, the aqua colored orbs shining from the shadows. In an instant he lunged forward and took out the remaining two soldiers. As they fell, however, so too, did their prisoner. Heero caught her before she hit the ground, her hood finally falling off. Hero had never seen another woman like her. Her heart shaped face was topped with a head full of honey-colored hair pulled back into two braids on the sides at the temples, her aqua eyes, so intense, wide with fear relaxed as they met his deep blue. Her lips, pink and just the right size for her face curved into a gentle smile.

"You're safe." was all he could say. She uttered a soft 'thank you,' barely audible as her eyes slowly closed, her body going limp and she passed out from exhaustion. Confused, relieved and unsure what else to do Heero picked her up gently and carried her. He had no doubt Duo would be full of questions and could hear the teasing even as he made his way down the back alleys to the inn. He could handle that. He just hoped that by saving this girl he hadn't put his troupe into even more danger than before. Something told him this girl's survival was not only important to survival of the kingdom, but to his own as well.


	2. Pure As Snow: Ch 1

[A.N.] Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter in my first attempt at a GW fairytale. I thank you all for continuing on to this. Please be sure to give me feedback. Writer's black and I are old enemies and we square off a lot. Any criticism, good or bad, might help me push past it! Thank you so much for your support! I love you all!

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Pure As Snow: Chapter 1

The kingdom was in mourning. The cold breeze, rather appropriate for the somber occasion whipped right through her black dress and her shawl did little to compensate for it. For the second time in less than fifteen years they had lost their king. She looked out from the balcony, her eyes void of tears. She did her crying earlier and had none left to spare. Relena pulled her shawl tighter around her. As a child her brother had always been there for her, supporting her, protecting her. When their father, King Milliardo I, died she had only been five and her brother, being ten had been too young to take over the kingdom. Prime Minister Dorlan and his wife had stepped up as regents and taken on the task of being surrogate parents of the orphaned siblings until such time as her brother was old enough and ready to take on the responsibility himself.

When he reached the age of eighteen he was crowned and it had been one of the happiest days the kingdom had known. For the past several years the kingdom had thrived in peace and prosperous harmony. It was only recently that things changed so drastically. The day that SHE came into the kingdom. Lade Une, as she preferred to be called, took up residence as a lady of the court and somehow warmed her way into the heart of everyone there; everyone except her. Something about the woman had read false from the beginning. She had come to Sanc saying that she was looking for a new life; a new start after her home had been taken over by an enemy army. Her brother soon began to seemingly fall for the woman confusing her to no end.

For the last decade or so their small family had consisted of their foster parents, the two of them, their Chamberlain Pagen, and a young woman named Lucrezia Noin, the daughter of a minor lord. The older woman had been both a sister and a friend to her, and her brother had become rather fond of her. There had been whispers that someday, when the two were of age, Milliardo would indeed make Lucrezia his queen. It was a real shock and a huge disappointment when he, out of the blue, announced his desire to wed Lady Une instead. Noin had been broken hearted and she had been forced to bear witness to a union that, in her opinion should never have happened.

Now, her brother had gone missing and her evil sister-in-law had recently declared him legally dead and announced a week of mourning in response. This was the seventh and final day that was being allowed and she found herself beginning to fear for her life. Upon his disappearance Lady Une had appointed herself her very own squad of guards claiming it was for her safety should the person who "killed" her husband attempt to end her as well. Relena had felt their presence around her, their eyes on her, following her every move. She tried to pass it off as paranoia but when she addressed the subject with the "Queen" the reply was that they were assigned for her safety as well.

Perhaps she might have believed that if the Dorlans, wrongly accused of being involved with her brother's disappearance hadn't been banished. To top it all off, Lucrezia and Pagen, her only two comforts left in the castle, were reassigned taking away her last allies. The servants and staff, once so loving and kind were now forbidden to speak to her, their eyes always downcast as they went about their work. She missed the smiling faces, the kind words. These people were as much her family as Noin and now they were being forced to suffer. She felt so helpless. Even now she knew the guards were behind her, closer than they should be. She felt Une walk into the room and stiffened as the older woman placed her hand on her shoulder. She fought the urge to shake it off.

"Sad, isn't it my dear, to be all alone?" She could not answer for fear of speaking words too dire to take back. "But you're not really alone. I'm here. I will need your help to lead this kingdom." Une's voice was like claws of ice scratching at her nerves. This woman had taken everything from her. She pulled away slowly, turned and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?"

"I will be in my room."

"Remember, Relena, dear. I am here for you. You will be more of a help to me than you can possibly know."

Relena did not respond. She had never liked using the word hate. Hate was a strong word that should never be used, or so her father had once told her, but this woman tested those limits and Relena found that she was almost unable to think of any other term. As she walked to her room she quickly shut and locked the door behind her leaving no room for them to enter. This didn't make her feel any safer. As the queen, Une had keys to every door on the castle, including hers. She went to her bed and sat down, putting her head in her hands. Her kingdom was in danger, her people were being threatened, her family was disappearing and there was nothing she could do about it.

"I feel so lost." She stood up and walked to the balcony. "Milliardo… Where are you?" Since her brother was declared missing she had been sneaking out with the help of the castle staff to go searching for him, sometimes alone and sometimes with an escort if one could be found. The kingdom had been forbidden to look for him, something she had always seen as suspicious. In an attempt to fool the "queen" she would go to her room, pretending to lock herself in for privacy and then sneak out when Une was no longer paying attention. She had to do it. She had to try once more. Grabbing her cloak she walked to the balcony. The sun was beginning to set and the shadows cast on the trellis would be her allies. Her brother had disappeared on his last hunting trip into the Ebon Forest. That was where she would go. Steeling her resolve she grabbed hold of the trellis and began her descent, hoping beyond all hope to escape the sentry's notice.

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Lady Une walked into her quarters and wasted no time in changing out of her black attire into her preferred crimson dress. She hated all the false pretenses, not because she hated lying, but because it was exhausting and irritating to keep them up. However, those pretenses had been necessary to keep the trust of the people until she could assemble her own force; her guards were now strewn throughout the castle and their numbers were growing by the day. It wasn't hard to incite loyalty; with the tactful use of money and a handy spell or two there were very few things one couldn't do. She smirked as she tossed the black veil away.

She had come from nothing, the daughter of the head servant in the house of a minor lord. She had worked for the family herself for years as a maid in the kitchens or with the laundry, doing whatever was ordered. It had been a stroke of luck that the son of the house had been around her age. The two had practically grown up together and time and continued exposure to one another caused them to develop feelings for one another. She had followed him, admired him, and praised his every move. Whatever he wanted, if it was in her power to obtain it for him, she would do so without question. Her loyalty had sprung from a love that she had thought he reciprocated. It wasn't until she found him kissing another woman that she realized how one-sided her affection truly were. Heart broken and lost, she searched for a way to make him pay and ensure that he would belong to her forever. She smirked at the memory of the look on his face that day. It had been glorious. She had wanted a way to keep him in her life forever and never be used again. She found a witch that had been all too agreeable on the issue and had given her the power to do exactly that.

Afterwards, she went from land to land making men from all sorts of wealthy standings fall for her, collecting their fortunes, draining them of their resources until she had amassed enough power to move about as she wished. This kingdom hadn't been on her list until she had learned how wealthy and prosperous it truly was. The queen had died and she had hoped to make the king hers but sadly he passed soon after. This had threatened to ruin her plans until she realized that but the king had a son, and she was nothing, if not a patient woman. She was pleased to see that the young prince had grown into such a handsome man; it was so much more enjoyable if the men were good looking. Using her powers and resources she set her trap, cast her spells and single-handedly took over the kingdom.

This kingdom had been all too easy to put under her thrall, her only exception being that girl. The little princess was so much more trouble than she was worth. She had shown no signs of the spell working on her no matter how much effort she's put in. She had spoken out against her brother's disappearance trying to reassure herself and anyone that would listen that her brother was still alive. The child had locked herself in her room for days refusing food and drink which didn't bother her. If the girl starved to death it was one less problem to deal with. Other than that early resistance, however, the girl had been no real trouble, her grief from her brother's disappearance taking its toll. Still, the girl was a threat in other ways.

She might have married the king, might have been declared queen, and, in his disappearance might have been given supreme power over the entire kingdom, but that wasn't enough. There was just one little problem. That girl was the true heir. If she were to get ideas of grandeur and tried to step up and take her place as queen there would be few in the kingdom that would willingly resist the girl. The people loved that girl, a fact that hadn't escaped her notice. To try and keep the child from getting any ideas she had forbidden anyone from interacting with her in hopes of breaking her spirit. It was quite possible, however, that the girl might indeed still gain the nerve to stand up and try to take her place on the throne and that was something she couldn't risk. Stepping deeper into her room she threw open the doors of an ornate wardrobe and stepped back. Three large mirrors, each with their own ornate filigree surrounding them reflected the dim lighting of her room. She smiled as she saw her reflection looking back at her. Indeed, black had not been her color.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, at my command you will tell me all." For a moment nothing seemed to happen but then a purple smoke began to billow within the glass and a figure slowly began to form. He was a handsome man: light brown hair slicked back with only a few bangs left hanging on his forehead. His grey-blue eyes stared at her with resentment.

"Lady" His voice, like liquid velvet, dripped with sarcasm. Normally it soothed her no matter how annoyed he sounded.

"I have a question for you mirror, one that I need answered immediately."

"As quick to the point as always, I see."

"Enough. Tell me about the girl."

"And which girl are you referring to, Lady?"

"Do not play dumb with me, Mirror. Tell me what I want to know about the princess."

"Lady, I might point out that you have not asked me anything. I may know all but mind reading is beyond even _my_ capabilities."

"I need to know if the child poses an immediate threat to me. Will she interfere with my rule?"

"Relena is a kind girl with a pure heart. I doubt she would cause you any trouble without reason." The mirror said nonchalantly.

"You are not being fully truthful with me mirror!"

"But I did give you an honest answer."

"Very well then." If he was not about to answer her willingly she would force it out of him.

"Mirror, mirror that I see, how big of a problem will the princess be." She watched as the face in the mirror winced as if attempting to fight her incantation, a fight that would always prove futile.

"The Princess Relena is young but strong, she knows that you are doing wrong, her heart is broken but she her spirit is not. Have a care, Lady, or you'll get what you ought." It annoyed him, she knew, to have to speak in rhyme whenever she invoked the incantation. She wasn't too thrilled by it either but such was the price of obedience.

"So she _will_ be trouble. She walked away and paced back and forth, her mind running over various ways to get rid of her problem. She couldn't outright kill the girl. The princess was well loved by the kingdom, even those who never met her spoke well of her. That was the problem. Perhaps if she somehow incited hatred? Maybe if the princess were simply to go missing? An obvious assassination attempt from a neighboring kingdom? There were so many possibilities. She smiled evilly, walking back to the mirror.

"Mirror, mirror, in front of me, how much longer 'til she defies me?" again the face winced.

"The princess is patient in spite of her loss, continue to test her and she will be cross. In a matter of hours if you do not desist she will claim her rightful place from whence she's been missed."

"Impossible!" She walked away again, trying to collect her thoughts. She could not, no, would not let the little brat come between her and her path to power. She had come too far, worked too hard to have one girl bring it all crashing down. "Guards!" Three armored men came running in, saluting her. "Bring Princess Relena to me immediately."

"Yes, my queen!" As the guards took off after the princess Une swelled with a feeling of accomplishment. It would all end tonight, somehow or other she would make it end and then nothing would be able to stand in the way. When the guards returned, however, she quickly found herself losing that feeling.

"Where is she?!"

"She's gone, my queen."

"Gone? GONE?" She turned back to the mirror and saw the smirk on the face that only she could see. "Leave me!" The men saluted and left promptly. She turned to the mirror, walking up to him in a huff. "Where is she?"

"You will have to be more specific, my dear." His tone made her want to scream.

"Mirror, mirror for magic and show, where did that bratty princess go?"

"While you were distracted, celebrating free, the princess snuck out searching for family."

"Show me." She rolled her eyes as he refused to comply. "Mirror, mirror, reveal her to me. Show me where Relena is and where she will be." The face frowned and grimaced as his image faded away to be replaced with Relena saddling a horse in the stables. "I see. So she thinks she can get away? We'll see about that. Guards!" Again the same men run in. "The princess is in the stables about to defy my orders. Bring her to me immediately."

"Ma'am!" They left as quickly as they'd arrived leaving her alone, once more with the mirror.

"Everything shall come together now."

"Lady, you do not have to do this. I remember a time where behaving in such a way would be unthinkable to you."

"That time is long past and that woman long gone."

"That's a shame. She was a much better woman."

"Silence! You have no right to speak on such things to me! The princess will be brought to me, I WILL dispose of her and the throne will be mine, forever." The face frowned, closing his eyes in despair. Everything _would_ come together. The princess would die, the kingdom would give in and everything _would_ be perfect. No one, least of all the little princess would be able to stop her. Her triumphant laugh that followed that thought echoed throughout the halls chilling the soul of whoever was unlucky enough to hear it.


	3. Pure As Snow: Ch 2

[A.N.] Hello again all! Thank you so much for joining me for another chapter of Pure As Snow! This story is flying right out of me despite it being my first attempt at a GW fairytale. I hope you all are enjoying it so far! Please review and let me know what you think! I aim to please! Enjoy!

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Pure As Snow Ch. 2

Relena finished tightening the saddle strap gave the harness another look to makes sure that was secure. This ride wasn't going to be a long one but she needed to make sure nothing would go wrong. She couldn't afford any unwanted delays on the off chance that Une would find out that she was gone. She leaned forward and touched her forehead gently to her horse's. Starstrike had been a present from her father right before he died. She could vaguely remember her father lifting her up into the saddle and ride with her around the coral. She barely remembered his voice as he promised to teach her how to ride someday; a promise he sadly never fulfilled.

Milliardo and her foster father had been the ones that taught her everything she knew about being an equestrian from fixing the tack to grooming and caring for the horse. Starstrike was not just her horse, however. In the forced solitude of the castle her horse was now her only friend and semi-constant companion. Une had called an end to her riding sessions stating that it was too dangerous to have her out when her brother's alleged killer was on the loose. She had mourned the loss of her riding but still came to the stall every day to care for her horse, taking him around the coral to stretch his legs. Of course, sneaking out to find her brother had given them some time to really have a good gallop across the countryside but it always ended too soon and were too few and far between. Now, as she made the final preparation, she gave him one last affectionate pat before preparing to mount.

The sound of boots colliding against the cobbles of the courtyard, however, drew her attention away. Three of the queen's guards, fully armored and armed were closing in on her. She froze, unsure what to do. If she fled, the consequences could be dire, if she stayed they could be unbearable. The disturbed noises of her horse made up her mind for her. Grabbing onto the saddle she hoisted herself up and over; too little too late. Before she could even leave the paddock the men were on her, swords drawn. She could have dashed forward, could have made Starstrike charge into them but her horse would surely meet his end upon their blades. They reached forward and grabbed the reins.

"What is the meaning of this?" She demanded, already knowing the answer.

"The queen has commanded your presence in her chambers immediately." He roughly yanked on her horse's bridle causing Starstrike to cry out.

"Very well, but kindly unhand my horse."

"I'll let your pony go when you get down and come quietly like a good girl." She looked at each one of them. Their eyes were as cruel as their grasp. Feeling her horse's fear and not seeing any other option, she dismounted, shaking off their hands as they tried to seize her. She walked slowly, trying to think of any possible way out but the further she went the more guards made their presence known. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was it. This was the last straw. Une had gone too far. As they walked down the winding corridors of the castle to the royal suite, she found herself suddenly resolved to end this madness.

They burst through the doors without bothering to knock and she watched as Une turned around, shocked. She was standing in front of some sort of cabinet or wardrobe. Upon further inspection there were three perfect mirrors set carefully into the wood. The thing that alarmed her was what she saw in them: a face. Not Une's or hers or even the guards but a face of a man that was about her brother's age, maybe a little older. Before she could get a better look, however, Une closed the doors and walked toward her, her face plastered with a smile that was as sweet as arsenic-laced honey. It made Relena's skin crawl.

"What is the meaning of this, Une?"

"You had me worried Relena." She walked up and hugged her causing Relena to stiffen.

"Worried?" She pulled back cautiously. She knew any wrong move taken as an insult could possibly prove fatal.

"I had the guards go to your room to ask you if you were hungry but when you weren't there I panicked. Thank heavens you're alright!" Relena eyes the older woman. There was a darkness behind her eyes and an evil tint to her words that put Relena on alert.

"We found her in the stables ma'am, about to ride off."

"The stables?" She paused and turned away, walking toward the balcony a few steps. "Relena, how could you do this? I gave specific orders for you to stay in the castle at all times."

"Yes, you did, but I cannot."

"What?"

"My brother is alive. I don't know how I know but I can feel it. I had to look for him again."

"Again?" he turned around quick as lightening, her pleasant expression gone. "You have defied me before?"

"I saw no other option. You refused to let anyone search for him. You gave up on him too quickly. One would think you are the one responsible for…" She trailed off as realization hit her like a wave of cold water. "You did it." Whatever was left of Une's smile vanished utterly at her words.

"What did you say, my dear?"

"You really were behind it all. My brother's disappearance, the Dorlan's being framed for it. Sending Lucrezia and Pegan away. You did it all." Her voice was calm, cold from the realization.

"Oh dear… It looks like my little secret is out. I'm actually surprised you didn't figure it out sooner."

"I've known for a while. I just couldn't prove it."

"Well, aren't you smart?"

"Lady Une, I have stood back and watched long enough while you have abused your position. I had hoped that if I waited long enough Milliardo would come back but now I see that that may never happen. You have left me no choice."

"Oh? And what are you going to do?"

"What I should have done in the first place. I am taking my rightful place as queen until such time as my brother returns."

"Oh you are, are you?" Une snapped her fingers and her guards seized her by the arms roughly. Relena struggled in vain. "You, my little princess have just sealed your fate."

"What do you plan to do with me now?" Relena stared up at her defiantly. "You can't just kill me. It would look suspicious if the entire royal family disappeared under your rule."

"You are right, my dear. I cannot simply kill you but there are ways to do so without any blame. Perhaps you withered away refusing to eat from grief and depression. Or maybe you despaired so greatly that you went insane and threw yourself from the highest tower. Oh, believe me, princess there are many ways I can rid myself of you. In fact, I believe that the window in the south tower would be the perfect height for such a death."

"No one would ever believe that."

"Oh no?" She walked forward. "And why is that?"

"Because whatever you have done to this kingdom will not last forever. Sooner or later the people will grow as tired of your cruelty as I have and they will rise up against you and when that happens there will be no place in the kingdom where you can hide." The sound of Une's hand slamming against her face echoed through the room as her face was whipped to side from the force of the smack. She looked back up at her, her eyes shining with defiance.

"Perhaps, but you will not be here to see it! Guards! The princess is feeling feint. She has gone mad from her grief." Her eyes darkened with evil glee and she smirked in her triumph. "Take her to the South tower and see that she finds the window the hard way." The guards tightened their grip on her arms causing her to grimace in pain. They were going to kill her. She closed her eyes, trying to think. She couldn't die, not yet, not when her people were under the subjugation of this witch. Mustering all of her strength and courage she stomped her heel down as hard as she could on one of the guard's feet and when he let go she threw what as much force as she could into her arm as she elbowed the other in the stomach. She didn't wait for them to recover.

She made a dash for the door thanking whatever god ruled above that the armor of the guards weighed them down enough to slow them. She could hear the guard following her closer than she'd like as she navigated the corridors she had known her whole life. That was one of the advantages she had over her sister-in-law's mercenaries. This was _her_ home. She had to escape, to survive so that one day, hopefully soon, she could return and set it free. As she made her way down the hall she heard the soldiers calling out orders that were muffled from echoing off the stone walls, however, she knew what they were yelling. She almost screamed as an arm snaked out and grabbed her. She raised her arm ready to fight free when her aqua eyes met the familiar lavender of Lucrezia Noin's.

"Quickly, this way!" The older woman grabbed her hand and led her through the halls down passages she had not explored since the three of them were children.

"Noin, how did you-?"

"The servants have been watching over you knowing the queen was up to no good. After your brother vanished we knew it was only a matter of time before she would come after you. They alerted me to the danger and I came back as fast as I could. We've been planning out this escape route for you but you must hurry." For all intents and purposes Noin had been a sister to her and the love the older woman had for her brother was stronger than anything Relena had ever seen before, feelings her brother had undeniable returned. Often times she wished that one day she would have such a love for herself. It was clear now that the only way Une had made her way to the throne was by sorcery. Such power was dangerous to cross yet Noin, and her many friends were risking everything for her. She hesitated.

"But I-"

"You _must_ escape." They paused momentarily at a door where Noin knocked three times. The door opened and two of the kitchen staff waited, one armed with a rolling pin and one with a cleaver. They started running as soon as they walked through the door. "Hurry. We will escort you to the stables. Your horse is still saddled from earlier and is waiting for you."

They reached the stables using the servants' passages making excellent time. Starstrike was indeed ready to go, chomping at his bit and stamping the ground. One of the servants had a hold of his reigns, something he had never been comfortable with. He really was a one-person horse. She reached for him and stroked him gently to calm him but only for a moment as the servant grabbed her and hoisted her up onto the saddle. They undid the gate to the paddock.

"Now go, Relena. Ride to the neighboring kingdom and ask them for help. Explain to them the situation. Be safe."

"Noin, I-" with those words she slapped Starstrike on the rump sending the horse dashing out of the paddock and out into the courtyard. She couldn't look back. She couldn't watch her friends, her makeshift family, fade into the darkness behind her. It wasn't long before the sound of her horse's hooves were joined by the stallions of the soldiers. They were gaining on her. She reached the castle gate and managed to get under it before it closed but sadly so had several of the guards. Nudging her horse a little harder she spurred his gallop into a faster pace.

As she made it into the village her path became less and less clear. Though she had been out in the village on many occasions to interact with her subjects she still did not know it well enough to make her way through without aid. She tried not to panic; panicking would scare her horse and that was the last thing she needed. As she rounded the next bend, however she found herself pulling her horse to a halt as four men on horseback and three on foot charged at her. She screamed in alarm as they threw a spear at the horse which nearly hit him. The alley was too small to turn around and she dared not charged for fear that next time their spear would not miss.. She saw no other option. With tears in her eyes she uttered a soft goodbye and a brief apology to her equine friend and jumped off of his back and dashed into the shadows of the alley.

She heard their heavy footfalls clanging behind her but dared not look back. She continued to run. She had to keep moving; had to escape. Her friends at the castle had risked everything to get her out safely and there was no telling what sort of horrible things Une would do to them for their defiance. Her mind went the Noin. Une had already taken away her love. There was no way to know what else Une would do to her now that all pretenses had been dropped. Out of respect for their sacrifice she pressed harder taking up strength from their courage.

As she rounded the final corner, however, her heart sank. It was a dead end. She looked around frantically for a ladder, crates, anything she might climb on to get out of the alley but found nothing but a pile of various broken items. Her eyes fell on a pole sticking out of the junk and had barely enough time to snatch it up before the gaurds rounded the corner. The leader, most likely a captain, held up his hand halting their advance. He smirked at her, The look in his eyes chilling her. He laughed.

"Well done, princess. I'll admit you put up more of a fight than I had expected, but now this little goose chase is over."

"I'll not come quietly just because you have me cornered."

"I would have it no other way, my dear. In fact, I love it when they struggle, it makes it more enjoyable." The other soldiers smirked. "The queen said to bring you back. She never said we couldn't have a little fun first." He moved toward her, his men following suit.

She knew what he intended but had no intention herself of letting do so. Mustering up the last reserves of her energy she dodged him, lashing out with the pole. She felt it connect with the armor of his back and spun around. Her brother had let her sit in on training sessions with the guards and the two of them had done a few mock fights where he had taught her the basics of certain fighting styles, the staff being one of them. She punched one of the other men while swinging her staff yet three against one was a far cry from sparring with just her brother.

It didn't take long for them to outnumber and overpower her grabbing her by the arms and holding her in place. The captain laughed as he reached for his belt. She felt herself begin to panic. When suddenly she heard someone run up from behind the guards. She looked up and saw him standing there, his thick, unruly brown hair concealed most of her face but his eyes reached from beneath the shadows and pierced the darkness, orbs of the deepest blue she had ever seen challenging the darkness around her. The captain turned around and motioned for the two reserve men to block his path.

"This doesn't concern you, boy. Be gone." The captain growled. She watched, waiting to see if the man would listen to him. His eyes met hers and she felt a shiver run down her spine. In that moment she knew he would not abandon her. Before she could blink, the man moved with the speed and grace of a jungle cat taking out one guard after another with a skill she had never seen. As he finished off her captors she felt an overwhelming sense of relief flow through her. All of her exertion finally took its toll as her adrenalin rush came to an end. At that moment all of her strength left her and she felt her knees give out. He descent, however, was cut short as she felt his strong arms wrap around her, catching her before she met the cobbled ground. She hardly noticed her hood fall as her eyes met his once more. His handsome face strong and chiseled like the marble statues of Greek gods, showed concern for her as she felt her consciousness slipping. She smiled gently.

"You're safe." He said softly. She met his eyes once more as her vision began to blur.

"Thank you." Was all she could utter as her world finally went black.


	4. Pure As Snow: Ch 3

[A.N.] Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter for Pure As Snow! I hope you are enjoying it! I have been wanting to do this fic for a while and, though I really don't have the time and should be doing homework, I am writing instead. -_-' oh well! I enjoy it! Thank you all for reading! I hope you will review and let me know what you think as I aim to please! Enjoy!

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Pure As Snow: Ch. 3

Lady Une screamed and threw a vase across the room and turned from the mirror. The girl had escaped. She had been watching the entire pursuit, enjoying the sight of the young princess's futile attempt to escape her guards. She controlled the city; had eyes and ears waiting around every corner and her mirror gave her the ability to see whatever she wished. She watched as they finally apprehended her, holding her in place. She turned away at that point, confident that the chase was over. She could tell by their actions what they wanted to do and though she cared not, had no desire to watch. However, as she turned she heard the guard ask a question to a random man and watched as that one man took out her guards quickly and effectively.

As the man carried off the princess she felt the blood rush through her veins growled in frustration. She paced back and forth, plans rolling through her mind. This would be problematic. While the princess lived she could rally an army in her defense. She could gather a large enough force to stand up and take the kingdom back. This could not be allowed to happen. She turned to the mirror.

"Mirror, mirror show to me where the princess and her rescuer be." The mirror began to blur, for some reason she could not see either figure or their surroundings. She growled. "Mirror! What's wrong?"

"Truth to tell I do not know why their image will not show."

"What?!" She looked again, trying desperately to make something out, but nothing appeared. As she thought about it, through the whole chase she had only seen the guards, or see the girl through the guards' eyes. What had changed? She had been able to see her in the stable. She paced back and forth. She needed to find the girl and fast but if the mirror could not locate her than she would have to do so by using other means. "Mirror, mirror, hear my command, summon my huntsman from his place in the land." The mirror rippled and the usual figure was replaced by that of a man wearing a silver mask that obscured the top portion of his face from view. "Huntsman."

"My queen." She smirked at his obedient response.

"I require your services in rectifying a… _problematic_ situation."

"You have but to name the task, my queen."

"I was hoping you would say that." She paused, thinking about how to word her order. When dealing with any sort of magic, such as invoking a figure in a mirror words must be spoken clearly and to the point. "The princess has run away. She was taken by a man with unruly brown hair. I do not care what you do to him, but find her and bring her to me."

"It shall be done my queen." She bowed his head and the image slowly faded. She felt a small sense of relief but could not relax, not yet, not until the Relena was back in the castle and at her mercy. And indeed she would be at her mercy. Before she was only going to have the guards kill her quickly and quietly, but now things were different. She had plans for the girl, horrible plans. She laughed at the thought of her conquest. The girl would die and the kingdom would be forever hers and there was nothing the little princess could do about it.

"Everything will soon fall into place." She rubbed her hands together and then dismissed the mirror, never seeing the look of sadness in his blue-grey eyes.

* * *

Duo leaned back in the hair, a glass of ale half-drained on the table and Hilde on his lap. He hadn't felt like going to bed so he and Hilde decided to sample the many different kinds of beverages offered at the establishment. He regaled the fellow patrons with his stories about his many adventures in distant lands; the majority of them being complete fabrications, although they didn't need to know that. He was in the middle of his favorite story where he had been taken hostage by pirates that had seized the ship he was on and was ransomed for a small fortune that left his family destitute. As he got to the climax of his tale the tavern door burst open. Standing there shadowed in the dim light was Heero. It was normal for Heero to stalk about at night by himself but what was strange was how he returned. In his arms was the body of a young woman. Duo stood up, almost dumping Hilde from his lap and the two walked to him.

"Heero, when I told you I thought you needed to meet more women this wasn't what I had in mind." As he began to laugh, walking forward, Hilde pushed passed him.

"What happened? Is she alright?"

"She's fine. She was exhausted and passed out."

"Yeah, I get that, but what happened?"

"Not here." He motioned towards the stairs. Duo and Hilde, taking his hint, followed him up and opened the door of the room he had reserved for the girls. By this time, Duo's big mouth had lured the other men into the room as well. He walked past Catherine, Sally and Dorothy who now were all looking up concerned. He gently laid her down on the bed, pausing a moment over her. There were no visible wounds from her skirmish with the guards. Sally pushed past them and walked to their side, sitting next to the girl. She placed her hand on her pulse points and on her forehead.

"What happened?" Sally asked. Her parents had been apothecaries in her homeland before they died and she had learned a lot from them by watching. He hoped she might be able to do something to help her. He told all of them as much as he knew which wasn't much considering her still had no idea why the men had been chasing her. "I see." She said. "This girl is dehydrated and seemed to have passed out from sheer exhaustion. Nothing serious but we should all be careful. We do not want her panic when she wakes up so the fewer people we have in here the better, so guys, out. Ladies, if you wish to remain, be sure to give her space." As they all backed away, Quatre stepped forward and stared at woman.

"I know her." They all froze and looked at him, Heero more than the others. "This is Princess Relena." Which was followed by a chorus of 'The princess?'

"How do you know?" Heero found himself asking before he even realized he had spoken.

"When my father would go out on business or to various royal social occasions he would take me with him because I was his only son. I met her once at one of the balls although it was so long ago I doubt she'll remember me." Duo pushed passed him then to get a closer look.

"A princess, huh? It ain't every day we get one of those around here. But if she's a royal why were they chasin' her?" he leaned in to get a better look. Hilde walked up and pulled his braid.

"You idiot. Ally said she needs space. The last thing she needs to do is wake up and see your face staring at her." As if summoned by her words however, the princess's eyes slowly fluttered open. They all held their breath and waited to see what she would do.

* * *

Relena vaguely heard voices that seemed so distant and yet so near. Her head hurt and her body ached but she was alive. But where? She opened her eyes, slowly; the light blinded her for a moment making her blink a few times. When her sight finally focused she saw a pair of violet eyes staring at her. She blinked again, assessing her situation. She sat up rather quickly, her eyes scanning the room. There were at least nine people around her; four women and five men and all of them staring at her like a bunch of frightened deer. They weren't dressed like soldiers. They didn't look like they worked for the queen. As she studied them her eyes found the same deep blue of the man who rescued her from the soldiers. As their eyes met, she found relief flooded through her. She sighed softly, letting out a breath she didn't know she's been holding. She smiled then, softly, and they all seemed to relax.

"Hello." She said, her voice meeker than she'd wanted. They returned her smile, one of them, the one with the violet eyes laughed and walked forward.

"Hey princess." He said. "You had us scared there for a moment." She stiffened. They knew she was the princess?

"Duo, give her some space. Do you want to scare her?" A young woman with short dark hair stepped forward and grabbed the man's long braid.

"Ow ow ow ow. Hilde babe! Easy on the hair." So their names were Duo and Hilde. So many names and so many faces. Luckily she was used to having to remember such things. She found herself laughing at this tiny comic scene, a feeling she needed at the moment to release some of the tension. One of the taller women stepped forward with light-brown hair curled into twists down alongside her face.

"Hello. My name is Sally. How are you feeling?" Relena looked at the woman for a moment and then thought about the question. Her arms and legs were sore from running and being man-handled. She probably would have a few bruises for several days but her headache was slowly fading.

"I'm…" Scared? Shaken up? Sad? Confused? "Alright…"

"You've been through a lot. I'd say alright is probably an understatement." She walked forward slowly.

"How did I get here?"

"Heero found you and carried you here. From the sound of it, you're lucky he arrived when he did." One of the men with short, light blonde hair stated. Her mind flashed back to the sight of the captain undoing his belt with lust in his eyes. She fought back a shiver.

"Heero?" Her eyes went to the man who had rescued her. The sound of his name seemed highly appropriate given the circumstances.

"You might say that he's literally your Heero." Duo said and Hilde, whom she guessed was his girlfriend, elbowed him in the stomach. She continued to stare at Heero, her eyes locked with his as she tried to discern his thoughts.

"This must be a little overwhelming for you." The blonde man said again, breaking her from Heero's gaze. She looked at the blonde man. He seemed familiar.

"Do I know you?" She asked.

"I'm surprised you remember. We met a long time ago at one of balls."

"Of course I remember. You're Quatre Raberba Winner, the only son of Lord Winner. You're the only one at the ball that didn't treat me like I was some sort of pedestaled idol."

"We did have a few good conversations that night."

"Yes. I was relieved to have found someone there as uncomfortable as I was." He laughed at her comment and she found herself giggling along. There was something about this company overall that she just liked that made her feel safe. She only known these strangers for a few moments but already felt like they were people she could trust.

"I hate to break up this moment of weakness but might I point out she was the one running from the guards. We don't know anything about her." This was said by an Asian man whose arms were crossed stubbornly across his chest. He stepped forward but despite his unfriendly demeanor she wasn't intimidated. She simply stared at him. "How do we know they didn't have a good reason for chasing her?"

"Oh, very good Wufei. We definitely shouldn't trust someone the _evil_ oppressive queen clearly wants dead. I am amazed with your astute observation. This came from a woman standing in the back of the room watching them all. Her pale blonde hair was ridiculously long, as were her eyebrows which forked out freakishly on her forehead. Her grey eyes were full of sarcasm.

"Dorothy's right, Wufei, lay off. She's had a rough night." This came from a tall man in the back of the room, his light brown hair hung over one of his deep green eyes, obscuring it from view.

"Trowa's right too. We all know the queen has been up to no good for a while now." A woman with curly brown hair and grey-violet eyes added. She stared at her for a moment. "Oh my gosh! We haven't even introduced ourselves yet. "My name is Catherine, but I go by Cathy too. This is my brother, Trowa. Then there's Duo and Hilde, you know Quatre and this is Dorothy. You've met Wufei. This is Sally and then of course you've met Heero." At the mention of his name, her eyes locked with his again. There was something about his gaze that enthralled her. "And that's all of us. Think you can remember all that?"

"I think so. I've been following along."

"Good! See, I told you she'd be fine." Duo said which earned him a slap on the back of the head.

"Ok. You saved her. She's alive. But what do we do with her now?" Wufei chimed in.

"What do you mean?" Catherine asked.

"Her presence here is a threat to us all."

"Wufei!"

"How could you?" They all started yelling at him debating his words.

"No, he's right." Her comment stopped them. "I am endangering you all." She looked across the room, her eyes falling once more on Heero. "I thank you for saving me, and for hiding me until I awoke, but I really must leave." At her words, Heero's posture visibly stiffened.

"No!" more than one of them chorused at the same time.

"You can't."

"She'll kill you!"

"You wouldn't stand a chance!"

"But I can't stay. Please understand. The queen is as powerful as she is cruel. The only life that should be at risk here is mine."

"You're staying." All eyes went to Heero, the source of this comment. She shook her head and was about to protest but his gaze made her think twice. All eyes were on her, waiting for her response. She sighed and smiled.

"That settles it then! You're one of us now!" They all walked toward her then, crowding her but instead of feeling crowded she felt wanted. A night that had started so horribly was no on the right track.

"I do not approve of this weakness, but I suppose there is some justice in protecting this girl from the queen." Wufei crossed his arms.

"That's his way of sayin' welcome to the club." Duo said as he plopped down next to her.

"Heero, I hate to say it, but if the queen's guards are looking for her it won't be long before they make their way here." Trowa said.

"He's right, Heero. We should probably get moving.

"Very well. Let's pack up and meet at the wagons as soon as possible. I want us to be on the road in less than ten minutes." They all agreed and began to move around collecting their things. She watched as they packed up with a precision that could only have come from years of such procedures. Sally tossed her a shawl and handed her a dress.

"Here, put these on. It will help us hide you until we've left the city. I'll help you put them on." As she changed, she held up her royal gown; real silk and lace. It might be worth something in the next village. Anything she could do to help them she would even if it meant parting with the only thing she had left of home than she would gladly do it. She folded it and tossed it into one of the bags. With Sally's help she was finished getting dressed and ready in no time and on her way out the door when she saw Heero standing there. He was holding her cloak. She smiled at him.

"Here. The wagons can be chilly." He slipped it around her shoulders and she couldn't help the blush that burned her cheeks. He stepped back as she fastened it and looked up to thank him but he had already walked away. She stared after his retreating form as a hand landed on her shoulder.

"Don't feel bad. Heero's that way with everyone. He'll speak his mind and walk away just as quickly." He smiled at her. "Unless you were looking for other reasons." What he was suggesting with his tone of voice made her blush again. "Heh! Gotcha!" He smiled a charming smile and winked.

"Duo quit teasing the poor girl!" Hilde came up behind her and chided her boyfriend before turning to her. "Ready to go, your highness?" She paused and looked at her new friend.

"Relena." Hilde turned and looked at her. "We're friends now. Call me Relena, please."

"Sure thing!" The other girl smiled as Catherine and Sally called out for them to go to the wagons. Hilde walked ahead. Relena watched for a moment as they all slowly climbed into the wagon. She smiled. They were a rag-tag band, a diverse group of individuals but they were now the only friends she had.

"Hurry up, Lena! Let's go!" She grinned at them and ran to the wagon, stopping to get in. She felt him behind her then, he reached out and helped her up the steps. She felt a jolt as his hand touched hers and locked eyes with him.

"Keep yourself hidden and stay down and you'll be safe." He turned and began to walk away.

"Thank you." She said as this, he paused and turned his head and nodded to her. When she was inside the wagon lurched forward and their journey began. She watched with a heavy heart as her home slowly vanished behind her. No, not her home, not anymore. Her home was this wagons, these people her family, if only until she could come back and set things right. She turned to look at the other girls receiving a welcoming grin from Sally. Yes, her adventure had indeed begun but at least she wouldn't have to experience it alone.


	5. Pure As Snow Ch 4

[A.N.]Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter! So sorry it is late! I have been so busy with school stuff getting ready to be a senior next year and all, that I haven't had as much time as I would have liked to do this! I am sorry it's a short chapter but you should still get a chuckle or two out of it. I hope to have the next one out in about two weeks! 'Til then, read, enjoy and please review to let me know what you think or what you might like to see! Thanks!

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Pure As Snow Ch. 4

The ride in the wagon had been a long one before they finally stopped for the night. Heero said he had wanted to make certain they were far enough from the queen and her guards that they could safely rest. Relena watched as they all went about their usual chores of laundry and equipment maintenance. Duo was checking the wheels and axels of the wagon, Hilde and Catherine and Dorothy were washing the clothes while Sally took inventory of what they had to make a list for the next town. Trowa and Catherine were tending to the horses and Heero had gone out hunting.

She had asked Sally what she could do to help but the older woman merely smiled and told her that she should rest which confused her. She may have been a Princess but sitting idle was hardly something she enjoyed. Wufei had been out gathering firewood and now, building a fire pit to put it in but that didn't stop him from looking up and glaring at her.

"What?" She asked. "have I done something wrong?"

"It seems to me that if you are going to stay you should pull your weight around here."

"I don't know what I should do."

"Did you ask?"

"Yes. Sally said I should rest, but I _want_ to help."

"What exactly can you _do_? You are after all, just a princess."

"I can do more than you think."

"Oh really?" He stepped towards her, crossed his arms and stared her down.

"Can you dance?"

"If courtly dances count then yes."

"Can you play an instrument?"

"Yes."

"Which one?"

"The lute."

"Are you any good?"

"You tell me."

"How long have you been playing?"

"Since I was five."

"You might not be a total loss."

"Excuse me?" Now he was getting annoying.

"Can you sew?"

"Why?"

"We make our own costumes; now, can you?"

"A little, I was mostly taught embroidery."

"Well pretty flowers don't keep a jacket together. Can you do anything else?"

"Yes, for your information. I am great with horses. I know how to care for and repair their tack and I know how much food and water they need and when they need groomed."

"Interesting." He paused, looking her over judgmentally, his eyes studying her hands and her arms. She felt like a work horse being appraised at an auction to decide its usefulness. "Can you do anything else?" She stifled a groan of annoyance.

"I can cook."

"You can cook?"

"You sound surprised."

"You're a princess."

"It was a hobby. The kitchen staff loved me."

"Are you any good at it?"

"Are you?" She was getting tired of this.

"Answer the question."

"Well if you must know, _Mr. Personality_, I've been told I'm good. I studied with the castle chef." Before Wufei could say much more to her Duo walked up giving a ridiculously large stretch and an even more ridiculous yawn.

"Did she say she can cook?" Duo was holding his stomach. I sure hope she can. Dorothy just about killed us with the last stew she made."

"I heard that, you ungrateful glutton!"

"Truth hurts, brows!" Brows was his nickname for the girl due to her strange affinity for petting her long eyebrows. Relena had to stop herself from giggling. "Any woman who can hold her own against Wufei _and_ cook is more than ok in my book! When do we eat?"

Relena smiled at Duo's enthusiasm as he led her over to their cooking supplies. The various ingredients were mixed in multiple baskets, their cookware just as haphazardly packed. She sighed as she began to rummage through to see just what they had, making a mental note of various ingredients and seasonings that they would need to help better prepare and preserve their food.

"What'dya think, Princess? Nice, ain't it?"

"It's certainly something."

"I know it ain't the most glamorous but it's what we got." Realizing he took her comment the wrong way she turned to him apologetically.

"No, I'm sorry. It's fine, really. I'm just making sure we have what I need so that I can start fixing dinner. Heero will most likely be hungry when he gets back."

"Oh yeah. I see what ya' mean. You wanna impress him." She felt her cheeks heat with an uncontrollable blush. "I'll just leave ya to it!" He winked at her and walked away; the blush continuing to burn her cheeks. What he said was partly true. She wanted him to like her, at least enough to continue to let her stay. He was their leader for all intents and purposes and what he said obviously was the last word on any subject. She liked her new home and her new friends and the thought of parting from them was already unbearable.

She looked around the camp and took in the sight of all of them busily at work. Catherine and Sally smiled brightly at her and she felt some of her tension ease which, in turn made her feel guilty, here she was, safe from Une while her people were still suffering. She would return home. She would still set her people free from Une's grasp, but not yet. She needed time, she needed a plan, and the grumbling of her tummy reminded her that she also needed some food. She glanced over and saw Duo carrying a basket of laundry juggling it and an open bottle of wine just to make Hilde and Dorothy nervous. If that wine spilled on the linens they would certainly kill him for the work the resulting stains would cause. She laughed as Hilde chased him away from the baskets with a pair of sheers. He grinned at her and winked. Duo kept the spirits up when things were looking glum. He certainly had helped to keep hers up.

She started to organize the ingredients setting out he ones she needed as she did so, taking time to prepare the ones she would use as the water in the pot was brought to a boil. This stew wouldn't be the most complicated thing she'd ever made but it would be as good as she could make it for the benefit of her friends. Duo walked up and tried to dip a spoon in to taste it and she playfully swatted his hand.

"Not until everyone is here." He simply stated. He frowned at her, faking a pout.

"Oh, I see, Heero gets special treatment. I can see what's on your mind!" He grinned and winked at her causing her to blush again. The others hadn't seemed to hear him, a fact for which she was grateful. As she gathered the bowls and utensils, Heero returned, a nice sized buck slung over his shoulder. She turned to him and smiled as Duo and Wufei walked forward to help him with the deer. He walked past her to wash his hands in the basin where Dorothy had been doing the laundry.

"Hey! There's clothes in there you know?!" Heero only grunted at her and moved towards the fire where the rest of the group was gathering.

"Welcome back." She said to him softly. He looked at her, his eyes locking with hers. As a royal, she was unused to anyone holding her gaze for extended lengths of time, let alone someone who had such a piercing gaze. She felt so exposed whenever their eyes met. "Dinner is ready." She said, and, after a moment, he offered her a small smile.

"Thank you." she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and a tension lifted from her chest. As they sat down on the various logs and makeshift stools Duo was all too happy to sample the first bite.

"Wow!" She paused, glancing around the circle as each person took a bite of her stew. "This is amazing! You weren't lying when you said you knew how to cook!" She smiled as the other echoed his opinion and felt her cheeks heat again. She hadn't felt this welcomed in a long time and it was a feeling she had sorely missed. Taking a bite of her own soup she settled in and listened to the various dinner conversations, feeling that Heero's gaze from time to time as they sat.

* * *

The huntsman stopped another traveler on the road to inquire about the young princess and whether or not they had seen her passing through. Each person had been less than helpful with the only piece of information being that they saw a wagon of traveling entertainers passing through. He didn't even bother to thank them. His mission was clear. He had to find the girl for his queen and that was all that mattered. Everything else was merely a trivial detail. He would find her no matter how far he had to travel or how long it took and he would bring her back to his queen. Suddenly he felt her calling him, the tingling sensation he got in his brain resonated through his skull getting stronger. He pulled out the mirror from his bag and held it up so he could see her.

"Huntsman." She said, her voice as smooth and cold as polished ice. "Report to me. Have you found her yet?"

"Not yet, my queen, but I shall not rest until she is within your grasp."

"Oh, I know you won't." She paused. Do you remember what the princess looks like?" He tried to remember but her image wouldn't come to his mind. He shook his head. "Very well then." She showed him an image of her in his mirror, her soft aqua eyes and heney colored hair seemed so familiar. "Bring her to me soon. Or…" He felt a blinding pain in his mind begin and grow more intense until it was almost unbearable. "And that is just a taste of what you'll receive if you fail me. Understand?"

"Yes." As he grunted out those words from gritted teeth he felt the pain suddenly stop.

"Good. Don't disappoint me huntsman. I'm counting on you to deliver her to me soon." With those words her image faded from the mirror and he relaxed, gripping the reigns of his horse a little tighter. He would find the girl, he would bring her to his queen and then his mission would be fulfilled. The peasants had mentioned a wagon of performers that had been traveling around the time she would have fled. There could be a connection. With this new hunch, he clucked at his horse and spurred him forward following the path hoping it would lead him to his quarry.


	6. Pure As Snow Ch 5

[A.N.] Hello all! Sorry it has been so long! I have been busy wrapping up final exams and job hunting. Anyways! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

~Serene

* * *

Pure As Snow Ch. 5

Heero walked around the camp, keeping watch as the long hour of the night ticked on. Trowa would need waking soon to take his shift but for now it was his responsibility. Everything seemed to be in order, the fire was down to a manageable height and everything from dinner had been appropriately washed and put away. Dinner had been quite enjoyable and they'd all been surprised by the princess's ability to cook. The usual sounds of the nocturnal creatures of the forest showed no imminent danger, something he was thankful for. Paying attention to ones surroundings was one of the first lessons of survival that life on your own teaches.

Trowa and Catherine, with the help of Relena, had made sure that the horses were properly fed and cared for and tethered with enough slack to rest and sleep but tightly enough that they could not wonder off. The more useful the girl proved she was the more Wufei grumbled an action to which she responded with her own smart retort. It had barely been any time at all but she seemed to be fitting in well. The largest problem they faced was her identity. Perhaps a wig and make-up could help disguise her but she might need a new name as well. He would leave that up to her; however, in the worst of situations discretion might be the only thing that saves their lives.

As he continued his round, he saw her, standing with the horses, stroking their mains lightly, whispering to them. The firelight cast an ethereal glow on her that made her seem more a spirit of the forest than a runaway princess. As if feeling his eyes on her she turned and looked at him, their eyes locking. There was something about her eyes that made him unable to look away. She gave him a small smile and broke their gaze, turning her attention back to the horses. He approached her slowly feeling as if he might spook her.

"You're still up?" She nodded to his question.

"I couldn't sleep." He didn't doubt that. After all she had been through it made sense that she might have some trouble settling in. he had noticed it each night on the road that she'd lay awake quietly beside the others never making a sound.

"I wouldn't have expected to find you out here."

"After my father died I spent many nights in the stables tending to the horses, it brought me comfort. Starfire, my horse, was my only friend after my brother disappeared. I had to abandon him that night in the village. I hope he's alright."

"I sure he is. If he was trained by you he'll survive."

"Thank you." They stood there for a moment or two as a comfortable silence settled.

"You miss him, don't you?" Again, she merely nodded as if unable to speak. This had to be a hard conversation for her but perhaps if she talked it out it wouldn't bother her so.

"Une had had him declared dead but I know it's not true. He's alive."

"How can you be sure? The queen seems like the kind of woman who would kill anyone she wanted to achieve her goal."

"She is, but not him. He wouldn't die that easily. I can feel it. I can't explain it any more than that. I feel he's alive and I'm going to find him."

"Then I will help you." She turned and stared at him, surprise in her aqua eyes. "I promise you now, I will help you find your brother and free your kingdom, no matter what it takes."

"Heero…" She smiled at him then, the first smile he'd seen truly reach her eyes in the short time he'd known her. Why had he just promised that? It couldn't be certain any of them would live through this let alone free her kingdom, but there was something about her, something in her eyes made him want to follow her, made him feel as though he would walk through fire for her sake without her even having to ask. He was lost in her eyes again, drowning in the endless blue.

"Heero." The sound of Trowa's voice broke his train of thought and he turned to look at him. "Time for my shift."

"Hn."

"Relena, you should probably try to get some rest as well, we have a long day ahead of us."

"Of course." She glanced at Heero one more time and then to Trowa. "Good night." He looked at Relena who gave each horse one last affectionate pat before walking away. Trowa stood there for a moment staring at him.

"Heero."

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough." Heero shifted his stance to lean against the hitching post. "You really shouldn't promise things like that. We don't exactly know what we're up against and she has been through enough without being fed false hope."

"I know."

"Heero, never forget who she is. I'm the last person to hold anyone's rank or status against them but she _is_ a princess and not only that but her life is in real danger. We must be careful how we treat her and what we say."

"I know that."

"Then try harder to remember. I like her, Heero. She fits in well here and it's easy to forget who she is but we can't. We don't want to hurt her and the easiest way to keep her safe from everything is to keep that in mind."

"I won't let anyone harm her."

"I'm not just talking about the queen." He stiffened and stared at the taller man. "I know you want her to feel safe, we all do but we mustn't give her false hopes about anything. Least of all that."

"I'm not."

"You're not trying to, I know but a young woman in her situation is impressionable. She is strong but even the strongest of people have their breaking points. We need to be sure that we are not one of them."

"I told you, it won't be a problem."

"Good. Now get some rest. We all need to be as alert as possible now."

"Hn." He walks away from Trowa, their conversation still in his mind as he walked back to their wagon. Was he giving her the wrong idea? Was he wrong to promise her what he did? It may have _been _wrong but it didn't _feel_ wrong. He tucked himself into his usual corner facing the girls' wagon. Closing his eyes he let the sounds of the night surrounding being careful to never fully let the sound slip out of his awareness.

* * *

Relena returned to her wagon as she said but she found herself unable to go inside. She could still see the intense look in his eyes; still feel the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck standing on end and the remainder of the pleasant chill she'd received as he stared at her. There was no doubt he was a very interesting man one she wouldn't mind getting to know better. She sighed and rubbed the chill off of her arms. The night as fairly quiet and peaceful, the sound of the fire crackling throughout the night was quite comforting and the snores so recognizably Duo's coming from the boys' wagon made her smile.

Everyone had worked so hard to make her feel at home. Their upbeat personalities and unending kindness warmed her like a fleece blanket on a winter's night. But how long could it last? She loved them all, already; she'd even developed a liking for Wufei although she would never tell him that. And Heero… She wasn't sure what she thought of him and it was a subject she found she would rather avoid for the time being. The only thing she knew about him for certain is that he made her feel safe and that was a feeling she hadn't had since Une had entered her life. However, though she was safe from Une for now there was no telling how long it would be before the tyrannical queen found her and then her friends would be in immediate danger. She couldn't bear it if they came to harm because of her. She had to find her brother and dethrone Une and do so before anyone got hurt

A movement of white in the dark of the forest caught her eye and she turned. Standing there, in the shadows, was the outline of a man, long white hair flowing in the gentle night breeze. Her heart caught in her throat as hope swelled within her. She reached out but the figure retreated.

"Milliardo…" She whispered. Before she knew it she was on her feet pursuing the figure as fast as she could, stumbling along her makeshift path using the sparse moonlight as her guide. She called out his name again and again repetitively hoping he could hear her, wondering why he would run from her. Her pursuit ended as they reached a clearing. He was stopped, standing facing away from her. She gasped to catch her breath but kept her distance. "Milliardo… is it really you…?"

He turned slowly and she felt her breath catch. His ice-blue eyes met hers and she felt the tears form. She walked towards him slowly, still doubting the situation. This could be a trick by Une to trap or kill her but she had to know. As she neared him, he smiled and walked forward, meeting her half-way. They stopped a foot or two of space between them and she looked up at him, studying his face. He seemed the same, just as he was when he'd disappeared. She smiled and touched his cheek gently.

"Milliardo." He hugged her then, pulling her to him in a crushing grip. She stiffened for a moment from surprise before relaxing. He was there. He was alive. It was what she had been hoping for.

"Princess…" he said. His voice was cold and indifferent. Even in their most tense of moments as children he never called her princess. Suddenly, his grip around her tightened painfully, he squeezed with a strength she wasn't sure he truly possessed. It was becoming increasingly hard to breathe.

"Milliardo… what… are… are you doing…?"

"You must die." As his grip tightened she realized she'd been tricked, that he wasn't the brother she knew.

"Milliardo… please… brother…don't… do this…" She felt her vision begin to blur, felt her ribs begin to slowly compress. "Please big brother… please… let me… go…" Her eyes met his, aqua to ice blue as she pleaded with him. If she couldn't reach him soon it would be too late. She continued to stare him down, praying for a miracle.

* * *

Heero focused on the sound of the campfire as it gently crackled and popped in the night. The atmosphere was eerily calm, quiet. He sat upright, his eyes flying open. It was too quiet. The animals had stopped making any noises. Something was wrong. He jumped up and ran to the girls' wagon, pounding on the side.

"Relena?" Hilde popped her head out.

"Heero? Why are you pounding on our wagon in the middle of the night?"

"Is Relena in there?" Hilde checked and came back, a panicked expression on her face. Heero knew the answer. Without another though he dashed out into the forest, following any signs that might indicate she'd gone that way like footprints and broken twigs.

"Milliardo!" It was her. She was calling out to someone. He swore under his breath and made a mental note to lecture her on running off by herself when there was an obvious price on her head. If possible, he quickened his pace hoping that whatever trouble she might be in he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Relena felt her world about to go black, her mind reeling with thoughts, the most prominent one being how horrible her brother feel when he woke up from whatever spell her was under to find that he had killed her. They had lost so much; she couldn't let him lose her any more than she wanted to lose him. In a last ditch effort, she summoned what remained of her strength and stamped down on his foot. The shock of the blow made him release his hold just enough for her to break free. She ran to the opposite side of the glade, putting as much distance between them as possible. He drew a long hunting knife and held it ready his eyes blank.

"Milliardo, please… this isn't you."

"I will kill you for the glory of my queen." He charged at her and dodged, barely, making it to the other side again before he turned.

"Milliardo, listen to me. Une did this to you. She has you under some kind of spell."

"I am the queen's huntsman. I live to serve her." He ran at her again, slashing at her, his blade scraping her skin causing a shallow cut to form on her arm. She dashed out of his way, barely maintaining her energy.

"No, you're wrong! You are my brother! The rightful king! Remember father and Pagen?"

"Enough!" he charged her again, this time she stumbled, falling to the ground, she rolled and began to try and scramble to her feet but found herself backed against a log. He stood over her, the blade gleaming threateningly in the dim light.

"What about Noin? What of her? She loves you, Milli and I know you love her." he paused, his eyes flashing with what might be recognition.

"Please Milli, you don't want to do this. Come back to me brother. Please." She saw him glance between her and the knife but before anything else could happen Heero crashed through the brush and took a defensive position between her and her brother. She stood up slowly and her brother jumped back a decent distance, staring at Heero as he drew his sword. "Heero, no!" As if startled by her words, her brother turned and ran into the forest, disappearing. Heero made to go after him but Relena grabbed his arm.

"He's getting away."

"Let him go."

"He was going to kill you." He turned to leave again and she stopped him again.

"No he wasn't."

"And what part of him standing over you with a blade gave you that idea." His sarcasm irritated her. She was just as confused as he was but now wasn't the time to fight with him about it.

"He's my brother." Heero froze.

"What?"

"He's under some sort of spell but he is my brother."

"That doesn't change what he was doing."

"He's there, Heero, I saw it. I almost got through to him."

"Almost didn't stop him from holding that knife."

"Heero… please… I have spent the last few months grieving for my brother, unsure if he was alive or dead. Now that I know he is I cannot simply wright him off because that woman has him under a spell." Heero shifted from one foot to the other and looked down at the ground, sheathing his sword.

"You're hurt." He said as he reached out towards he injured arm.

"It's just a scratch."

"We'll have Sally look at it when we get back to camp. Come on." He reached out his hand and she took it, too tired to argue. As he led her back towards the camp her thoughts remained with her brother. Une had him in her thrall and her kingdom under her control. As bleak as things seemed he hadn't killed her. He had recognized her, if only for a moment and that gave her hope, hope that they would soon be reunited and rid of Une's evil hold forever.


End file.
